Leaking basements are a very common phenomenon is most homes. A leaking basement could be due to a number of factors including natural occurrences and faulty home structures, but no matter what the cause of your leaking basement is, simple pre-emptive leaky basement solutions can help to avoid major troubles. Leaky basements are mostly caused by water soil pressure around the home’s foundation. It could either be due to hydrostatic pressure or lateral pressure.
Lateral Pressure
Lateral pressure is when the surface soil around the foundation of a home absorbs water during normal weather conditions. Instead of the water to drain, it stays afloat due to the nature of the soil. This slow drainage causes sideways pressure against the foundation of the home. Then it creates problems such that you would need leaky basement solutions to fix it. Clay soil is especially prone to flooding.
Hydrostatic Pressure
Naturally, there’s always water in the ground no matter how dry it feels on the surface. However, some areas have low levels of water than other areas. This type of water that exists in the ground is known as the water table. The location of the water table in every area is however different. Proximity of the water table to large bodies of water like rivers and lakes sometimes determines the height of the water table.
Where there is heavy rain or snowmelt, the soil that is closer to the surface absorbs some water while the surface of the water is saturated because the water table rises and more water cannot be absorbed. This rise in the water table causes what is known as hydrostatic pressure against the foundation of the home so that water begins to leak into the basement.
Signs it’s Time to Fix Your Leaky Basement
It’s always best to opt for pre-emptive leaky basement solutions and fix your basement before it starts to leak. A few signs can help you know when it’s time to fix your basement.
Basement Dampness
One of the first tell-tale signs that your basement needs leaky basement solutions is basement dampness. If you discover that the walls and floors of your basement are sometimes wet or cold, then it is a sign that water is somehow getting into your foundation.
Efflorescence
If you notice some white powdery substances on the floors or walls of your basement, it is a sign that efflorescence has occurred. Efflorescence happens when water evaporates and leaves a crystallized substance behind. So sometimes, you may not see the water or wetness but efflorescence would be able to let you know that water was once in that area.
Other signs of a leaking basement include wet stains on the floor or walls of the basement, funny smells in the basement and basement stains.
You can fix a leaky basement in a number of ways but the most common methods include buying a sump pump, which is a machine that could be used to pump out excess water from the basement and leaky basement solutions offered by professionals. For more information see: How to Choose the Right Wet Basement Waterproofing Method
Aquatech Waterproofing is a Canadian based company that offers free consultation on leaky basement solutions. For a free consultation, visit here.
